The definitive information on hybrid events blog

It's not necessary to worry about hybrid events -- they've been in existence for a long time. In 2011 the CDC introduced the first 4 day hybrid event that saw 1,600 participants attend in person, and 1 875 CDC employees across the globe joined the event online. Nearly half of those who attended were remotely located!

In this article we'll discuss hybrid events as well as suggestions on how to organize an event that is hybrid using video. So let's get started!

What are hybrid events?

A hybrid event is one event with two different, yet connected, experiences.

Digital elements can range from inclusion of social media to live streaming the entire day. One of the keys to success is being creative and deciding what works for your audience.

5 reasons to consider investing in hybrid events

The reason to invest into a hybrid event? While your audience might not be able to attend an event in-person, having ad temporary access to the event's content is still valuable. By utilizing hybrid technology, you will be able to get more people involved by making an event available both in person and on the internet.

Here are five key advantages you should consider when hosting your first hybrid event:

1. Increase your reach

There's no limit to your local audience with hybrid experiences. The event can be tailored to engage with an international audience. Live streaming events offer numerous benefits such as: widening your reach by connecting with your viewers as well as establishing your reputation, encouraging the promotion of products, and (with the appropriate solution) swiftly and effortlessly make an event live via the web.

Hybrid also expands the horizon for potential event speakers. You want talent from a different continent? There's no need to worry. You can have speakers contribute virtually.

2. Develop more sponsorship options

Event sponsors can now invest in two distinct experiences through an innovative hybrid model. The once-incredible world of sponsor booths and logo signs can now be transformed into the world of digital property.

3. Opportunities for engagement with the audience are now available.

Hybrid events create the opportunity for attendees to interact in a variety of ways. Digital audiences can engage with each other and with in-person attendees. Also, people in-person can connect with each other and digital viewers through polls and live chats that are supported by the platform you use. Your platform's virtual interface is an instrument that links both viewers to the digital world in which the majority of these interactions is possible to live.

4. Stimulate the community

Continuous engagement can also to increase the number of customers in your sales pipeline.

5. Lower environmental costs

The epidemic showed us the impact reduced travel and energy consumption will have on our environment. According to IEA Global Average Road transportation activities fell to 50percent of its level in 2019 by the end of March 2020.

In addition to helping the environment, hybrid events can reduce financial risks. Once a risky hotel block that contained more than 200 hotel suites may be greatly reduced. The catering and the disposable resources will can also be reduced.

Types of hybrid events

The best thing about hybrid events is that they are flexible. The ability to use a hybrid format for both the external and internal events. I'll dive into a few differences and common uses for each kind.

Internal events

Here are a few use-cases for internal events that can become hybrid events:

1. Regular team meetings
2. Team building workshops

Virtual and external events as well as events

Below are some examples of outside events you can consider when planning an environment that is a mix of both:

1. Conferences
2. Seminars
3. Tradeshows
4. Product launches
5. Client appreciation events

Tips for creating a hybrid event

There's no better time than now to start! Many event organizers will be holding a hybrid-based event for the very first time. And with the right strategy and video tools every business or organization could create a great hybrid experience. Just remember: like any other type of event, setting objectives is crucial to kick off the creative process.

Below are some steps you can take to enhance your hybrid Experience:

Set a realistic strategy

There are some aspects to be considered when thinking about ways to make an event that is hybrid. It is important to determine what elements should be virtual as well as those that should take place in person as well as who is included, as well as the contingency plan.

Are you having trouble? Here are five points to take into consideration when planning your strategy for an event

• Virtual venue:What is the limit in terms of the content your virtual or live streaming platform can hold? This includes bandwidth and streaming capabilities.
• Physical venue: Is your venue ready and willing to host events in person? If yes, what's the capacity of your venue? Note the security measures and regulations, if they exist.
• Sponsor & partners: Is there a sponsorship opportunity for this event? Contact your sponsors to get a sense of how willing and willing they are to participate in the hybrid event.
• Designate team members within the organization: Determine who from the team will head the physical event experience and that of the event.
• Backup plan It is not fun to imagine the worst case scenario. But in the event of lockdown procedures the event organizers must prepare to go 100% online.

Create your event by keeping two attendee types with two types of attendees in mind

Think about what can audiences do to engage in the experience? How can provide my audience in person the best experience possible while remaining in touch with my online audience simultaneously? You may find yourself with two different team members working behind the scenes. This is to ensure each audience's journey is interconnected.

Captivate your audience with content

What your audience would like to see is the speaker stream that is broadcast on a stage. The best way to ensure that your content is seen by the public is to invest in the best video production services to give your viewers an immersive experience to your content.

And don't forget your headphones! Make sure to practice and prepare with the speakers, so that they're prepared to deliver the best possible content. Provide in-person and virtual speakers with a greenroom area to practice and get acquainted with the team of production.

Create different speaking environments

If you are thinking about setting and design, you should think of the possibility of expanding beyond an event session area. Different environments that accommodate different kinds of event sessions or just informal interactions can enhance the personal experience. It also guarantees remote audiences have the opportunity to explore different venues for their events. A change in set design can serve a similar purpose.

And for speakers who contribute via a virtual platform, make sure their work complements the content. Make sure to send speaker kits with the guidelines their virtual session must follow. It is always helpful to provide the speaker kit to help lighting and/or branded backdrops for an optimal visual display.

Create exclusive experiences

You want to provide your audience with experiences that will make them feel special regardless of where they tune in. Two ideas can help you create a sense of exclusivity for both your in-person as well as your online audiences.

1. Promote the worth of every experience:Consider how you can enhance each experience. For example, for attendees who are in-person, provide one-on-one experiences for those who are the first 50 to 100 attendees. The capacity limits could also push up demand. If you are a virtual registration or ticket holders, provide sneak-peek into behind-the-scenes footage, or early access to the content presentation.
2. Report live from the occasion:Think of this as your inner news team or your media department. Cover live the occasion and broadcast the event to your online audience. Not only are you connecting with your attendees in person however, you're also spreading your engagement to the distant audience. Interact with attendees between sessions and report on participants and the speaker. Remember, reporting from the event would differ from hosting the event.

You can have fun playing with formats

If you are a remote attendee, think about giving out relevant materials and merchandise (as they relate to the content) ahead of the occasion. The idea is to encourage online audiences to test out a product by themselves and to discuss their experiences in a session. Make use of live chats and polls, virtual breakout rooms and much more to increase engagement and casual collisions between participants on the internet.

For in-person attendees, change the environment by using outdoors and indoor environments. Engage your attendees using virtual reality features. Above all, give your attendees space. There is so much happening in a multi-faceted setting and in person, allow your audience ample time to absorb each event and important material.

Join both of the audiences to the right teams

Be careful not to overburden you with the technical side of a hybrid event. In the beginning, it is important to make sure you've got an appropriate technology platform that can connect with both groups. You'll want to ensure that you've got the right teams in place to oversee what follows:

• IT troubleshooting teamHave platform experts on deck to assist you with any issues. They are solely responsible for technical aspects of live streaming on your virtual platform.
• Community Engagement Team: Assign team members to be moderators or hosts for the virtual breakouts such as live chats, chats on the go, as well as apps.
• Social media team: Designate a team to manage online communities and publish content on all your social platforms.

Consider investing in a professional live stream experience

The quality of your video broadcast is essential when you are hosting a hybrid event. Virtual attendees require an experience that is professional.

Create a great onsite experience

While much of the focus tends to be focused in the distance however, your audience in person requires a fantastic experience too. It all comes down to your on-site experience. With fewer attendees in-person it is possible to invest in everything experiential, including the event registration process, social media tools as well as food!

Request feedback after an event

What's great about the hybrid event is that we will be learning and experimenting for some time. Feedback is crucial. Make use of surveys and polls to gather opinions from your guests. These responses can help improve your hybrid event plan to be more effective in the future.

Make sure you capture the correct data

Event analytics could include registrations, virtual and in-person attendees, scores of audience engagement and content views, as well as watch time, speaker insights and much more. If you are employing an event application or a communication platform like Slack or Discord keep track of peak engagement times. Note trending topics or content views to gain insight on what motivates people to attend.

Be Flexible

Prepare for the unexpected. Guidelines for health, state protocols, and national mandates may affect hybrid and in-person occasions. It's important to have flexibility in your thinking and have a well thought plan if gathering is not an option.

Here are a few suggestions to help you prepare for the unexpected:

• Venue negotiation: Before you're ready to take the plunge and sign the contract for the venue in person and vendors, be sure to include an added clause that saves your business from losing money in the event that another lockdown occur.
• Production ROS: Provide your team of producers with two runs of show that are the hybrid event, and the other to be used for a virtual event. Should you need to pivot last minute, you'll be equipped with alternative plans.
• Speaker guidelines The guidelines for all of your speaker in person for a virtual situation. Include the details of their speakers' packs to refer to if there are last-minute changes.
• Pivot in-person tickets: Have a plan set to convert in-person tickets to virtual.

The wrapping up

The way events are organized has changed dramatically over the last year and a half. Hybrid events offer us the opportunity to scale, reach, and engage larger audience.

When you're navigating the hybrid model, ask yourself: "How could we make things better?" It may feel like you're always striving to improve event management as well as marketing strategies and the execution. But event professionals are working in a field that's continuously evolving. And with powerful video tools that are at your fingertips, you can ace the hybrid event.